


Tradition

by Vanessa_Cocotea



Category: Doctor Who (TV Movie 1996)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2015-09-23
Packaged: 2018-04-23 02:17:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4859339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanessa_Cocotea/pseuds/Vanessa_Cocotea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Done over the last ten days:</p><p>The Doctor helps Grace revive a favourite tradition...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> A little something for the first day of Autumn and another one of my earlier memories immortalised in story form. I still love doing this. Especially in Autumn. This probably is the last of my "busman's holidays" while I work flat out on Oasis. I've got the whole story written in my mind, I just have to put it on paper - as it were. I'm aiming for this Halloween. Fingers crossed

"Penny for them, Grace?"

They were lounging about in the library and Grace had been stretched out on the sofa, smiling to herself and sighing. She looked lazily over to the Doctor, who was himself stretched out on the sofa opposite.

"Mm?" She asked.

"Must be something particularly lovely to make you smile and sigh like that!" He grinned.

"Oh, I was just remembering the rainy, Autumn evenings I had with a former boyfriend, Geoff. This was long before Brian. Geoff and I would often spend rainy, Autumn evenings - usually, Saturdays, making an all-out - candlelight only, spaghetti dinner - with all the trimmings, which we then ate in front of the window. We'd watch the action outside, in the street, in the park across the street and listen to romantic music. After dinner, we'd dance for a few hours, then sit on the window seat and just listen to music and the rain. It was beautiful. Every Autumn brings back the memory of those evenings." Grace smiled in remembrance."

"It certainly does sound like a lovely way to spend a rainy evening." The Doctor smiled at Grace. "What made you stop?"

"Well, Geoff got transferred and we lost contact. Unfortunately, none of my other boyfriends seemed all that romantic. And it just wasn't the same, doing it alone. Doctor?"

The Doctor had gone very quiet...

********

It was a few days later and Grace was returning from a walk in the forest at the edge of the Fairy Meadow. Whether they did it naturally or whether the TARDIS helped out, Grace wasn't sure, but the trees here wore the most gorgeous autumn colours. There was even an autumn chill in the air. Grace could have stayed in there forever, but she was getting hungry. She went back to her room to take off the heavy cardigan she'd worn on her little walk.

She walked into her bedroom and stopped. There was the most beautiful cream-coloured "afternoon" dress lying on her bed. It had a beautiful pumpkin-coloured scarf for a belt and there was a pair of light brown short-heeled, slip-on shoes on the floor by the bed. On the dress lay a note, telling her to get dressed and come to the console room...

********

Grace dressed as instructed. She smiled as she added the finishing touch - a pair of very autumn-y maple leaf earrings. Then, seething with curiosity, she left.

Arriving at the console room door, she found another note. It instructed her to have a list of her favourite cities ready. Grace raised an eyebrow at that, then - already knowing her favourite cities, she opened the door and walked in - and gasped. Grace had just stepped into magic...

********

The console room was a candle and streetlight-lit autumn wonderland. The ordinary electric lights had been turned off and only a few of the candles and streetlights were on. It seemed the space between the console and the conservatory had been enlarged and now contained a beautifully set, candlelit table. And then there was the Doctor. He stood beside the table, smiling and dressed perfectly for the occasion.

He was wearing a cinnamon-coloured frock coat, cream-coloured trousers, cinnamon-coloured waistcoat, pumpkin-coloured cravat - with a maple leaf stickpin that matched the cuff links on his cream-coloured linen wing-collared shirt, and medium brown socks and shoes. With his gorgeous chestnut curls and sparkling blue eyes, he looked amazing and very suitable for the occasion.

Smiling, the Doctor bowed and held out his hand to Grace. He'd no more taken her hand and kissed it, when a wrought-iron railing rose up round a large section of the floor surrounding the table and the whole area began very imperceptibly to rise...

********

They were carried up and up till they were just under the domed ceiling. Neither said a word, they just smiled. The Doctor pulled out Grace's chair like the true gentleman he was, then took the chair opposite. Grace was admiring the beautiful autumn-flowered centrepiece, when the Doctor asked Grace what her favourite cities were.

She laughed and replied, "Oh, the usual - London, Paris, Tuscany, New York," She paused, "and, of course, San Francisco."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her last choice. "But wouldn't seeing San Francisco make you homesick?" They were in the vortex for the time being.

"Well, yes, a bit, of course. But it's not as though I've left for good. And, Doctor, technically, I'm really just on an extended holiday with you. I still officially live on Ogden Avenue! It would be nice to see it again, though - keep an eye on the place. Why? Don't tell me you're taking us to ALL those places!"

The Doctor laughed. "Not exactly."

Grace's curiosity was definitely piqued. "Not exactly??"

The Doctor just smiled mysteriously and said, "I believe we're ready." Then their salads appeared as if by magic, Vivaldi's "Autumn" began to play, the lighting faded away - leaving only the candles on their table, rain started to fall from the "sky" above the ceiling and scenes from London, Paris, Tuscany and New York accompanied their dinner of spaghetti, sourdough breadsticks and wine. For dessert there was cinnamon apple pie, then coffee and dark chocolate/maple-flavoured chocolates. The TARDIS was an excellent and subtle waitress - discreetly taking away empty plates and bringing in the next course. The city scenes faded into each other over and over throughout their meal. And the rain still softly fell. It was beyond magic - and it was not over yet.

********

When their meal and quiet conversation had settled, the music gently changed to various romantic pieces, beginning with "Isn't It Romantic?". The Doctor stood up and again held out his hand. "Milady?"

Grace sketched a curtsy. "I'd be delighted." They danced for several hours under the rain that never stopped and the cities that sparkled in their evening wear. Then pleasantly exhausted, they were pleased to see a loveseat appear. They sank gratefully down into it. For the remainder of their evening, the Doctor and Grace just watched the cities drift by till they finally -after a brief hello to Grace's townhouse in San Francisco, came to rest on the park across from her home.

Grace sighed in sheer contentment. "Thank you, Doctor! You did an excellent job. The place looks fine. It was a beautiful evening."

The Doctor smiled. "You're welcome, Grace! It was my pleasure." They spent some time listening to an encore of Vivaldi's "Autumn" and the still falling rain, while gazing out at the park. After a time, the rain and San Francisco gently faded away and the TARDIS brought them gently back down. Then "Autumn" gently faded away as the Doctor carried Grace to her bedroom, where they kissed goodnight. Then the Doctor quietly withdrew.

The End


End file.
